Drip, Drip, Drip

Today's excitement. Bob was relieved to find it's only a U-joint and easily fixed. He hates plumbing.

What a good excuse to clean out and reorganize under there. My pretty contact paper that I had there just lifted right off, so I'll have to find some new. I've got a fan running to dry it out.

If we have time, I am going to have Thomas Google how to repair a U-joint and make this into a school project. Bob will have him help with the project.

Our Dirty Little Secret

I have a secret, and I'm not telling -- Thomas.

Next week my BABY has a birthday and he will be a

TEENAGER!!!

How did that happen so darned fast? How can he be so old? It's making me feel old!!!

Bob and I had some alone time yesterday while Thomas was at art class. Earlier in the week, Thomas and I brainstormed what to do on his his birthday. How could we not, because he was/is obsessed! We used the white board and put all his ideas into categories. Hmm, perhaps I should have him do a writing assignment today based on this.

Anyway, Bob and I were toying with getting a motel room and having fun swimming. Then I remembered that there is a town a couple hours from here that has a motel with an indoor waterpark. Bob looked it up online and said, "Let's do it."

I had to convince Bob that we needed TWO nights there, because a couple hours getting there, going after work, leaving early the next morning just wasn't as much fun as spending an entire day poolside. He reluctantly agreed. He only has so much vacation left, but since this is a big birthday, he decided to go for it.

Reservations were made. I'm making a to-do list today. The only thing troubling me is how to get a birthday cake in the van, with two dogs -- Bob suggested we take Thomas to a store and let him pick out a cake. (Not as much fun for mom.)

We're not telling Thomas what we're up to. It's a big secret. I'm going to secretly pack, then take Thomas somewhere so Bob can load the van the day before we leave. The day we leave, Bob will take Thomas somewhere so I can put last-minute things in the car. Then we're going to tell him we're going out to dinner.

Ha, ha, ha, will he be surprised when we get on the interstate. We've decided to not say a word and keep him guessing until we get to the motel. Won't he be surprised when he sees a 130-foot water slide and indoor water park!

This is going to be fun!

The only bad part is we'll have to leave really early to get Bob to work on time. And then we'll have to start school when we get back to the house. I know I'll be needing a nap that day! Oh well, it will be worth it!

Cleaning

Saturday I made a date with Thomas. It was a cleaning date. We set aside the entire day, aside from some school assignments I had him do to catch up for Thursday. Bob had to go to work, so it was just the two of us.

We kicked it. The two of us scrubbed, dusted, vacuumed, changed sheets, pulled curtains off the rods to be washed, got on hands and knees and washed floors. We were both exhausted at the end of the day.

We only got the upstairs done. BUT, we also got our school room completely organized and picked up. We can actually do school in there now, if we so choose.


Bob put my new office chair together last night and put it in the school room, so I guess we may have to use the room a bit more.

I culled about 100 books off our shelf, boxed them up in Surf laundry boxes (I have a thing for saving those, don't ask) and stacked them in the closet. I need to start selling, I just don't have the energy right now.

Whew. This feels SO GOOD to be back to normal again.

Now today I'm faced with 10 more loads of laundry, a basement to clean, and I have zero energy. I woke up this morning due to cramps. Bad cramps. The kind I usually get the first and second day, not the fourth day. Grrrr.

Next week I'm expecting the furnace guy to call and come install our new furnace and AC. That will take two days and into the third, as he put it. It would be really nice of me to get rid of the cobwebs before he arrives. And not have baskets of dirty clothes taking up space.

I need an energy pill. I think I'll settle for a nap, and enlist Bob's help on getting the basement done. It won't take long with three of us.

One thing on Thomas's to-do list today is to fill the bird feeder. If we're going to be in the school room, we might as well be watching the birds again.